Should I trade my Speedy for a SM300?

[mac_omega]

Revo

Says it has Zinc Sulfide lume, is that right? I thought these were tritium or SL?

Yes, its indeed zinc sulfide which glows - tritium does not glow itself, it only "delivers the power" and makes the zinc sulfide glow.

 

[Revo]

mac_omega

Yes, its indeed zinc sulfide which glows - tritium does not glow itself, it only "delivers the power" and makes the zinc sulfide glow.

Thanks. I learn something new every day.

 

[Revo]

Thanks to you all for your input. With some juggling (i.e. selling) it looks like I've managed to buy a SM300 and keep my Speedy.

I was offered two by a member on another forum. One has an old tritium dial (and, I think, gilt printing? Or just discoloured? The dial certainly has some patina). The other has a brand new modern SL service dial. Both are in service cases with vintage cal 552 movements. So both are "watchco" style builds from genuine Omega parts.

I'm leaning heavily towards the "T" dial -- some might say it looks tired but has a warmth.

Which do you like best? SL mint or tritium vanilla?

Some pics.

 

[Dsplash]

Tritium every day…Don’t really like the insert though…
How much are theses offered for?

 

[Revo]

Dsplash

Tritium every day…Don’t really like the insert though…
How much are theses offered for?

Not cheap but seemingly within the right price range (£3.5k SL & £4k Tritium). Buyer is a top chap and I've had them looked over my my watchmaker so I'm confident all is good.

 

[Ian_km]

I have to say both look good, but for different reasons, so a tough choice. I’m afraid that looks where the prices are right now, just annoyed that Omega haven’t done a modern rendition of it.

Tempted to ask about the one you decline, but assume there will be a few enquiries!

 

[JwRosenthal]

Ian_km

I have to say both look good, but for different reasons, so a tough choice. I’m afraid that looks where the prices are right now, just annoyed that Omega haven’t done a modern rendition of it.

Tempted to ask about the one you decline, but assume there will be a few enquiries!

You should PM OP and get at the front of that line- these are getting harder to find

 

[Dash1]

Are you confident that the ‘tritium’ one isn’t relumed?

 

[bigtriangle68]

The tritium dial looks bipolar contrasting with the brand new modern super luminova bezel. Also there is something about the tritium dial that looks off. Why do the "12, 3, 6, 9" have creamy patina when those were painted white and never tritium back in the day? Note how the white Omega logo, text and Seamaster script are still white but the 12,3,6 and 9 are not. That's a red flag that the tritium version may have been manipulated to look like gilt text. On the other hand, the tritium dial might actually be 100% legit, but just has some dirt and grime on the dial that is making the 3,6,8, 12 look creamy. It's hard to say for certain from the pics. The metal on the hands on the tritium model look so clean that they might be modern replacements. The case on the tritium model looks so clean with almost no discernible wear. Is it a new case, hardly worn case or polished? By "watchco style" did someone take an old dial and stick it in a new service parts build?

The tritium model is so schizophrenic with contrasting aged and new looking parts, that I would opt for the all superluminova version instead.

Edited: Nov 23, 2022

 

[Revo]

bigtriangle68

The tritium dial looks bipolar contrasting with the brand new modern super luminova bezel. Also there is something about the tritium dial that looks off. Why do the "12, 3, 6, 9" have creamy patina when those were painted white and never tritium back in the day? Note how the white Omega logo, text and Seamaster script are still white but the 12,3,6 and 9 are not. That's a red flag that the tritium version may have been manipulated. On the other hand, the tritium dial might actually be legit, but just has some grime on the dial that is making the 3,6,8, 12 creamy. It's hard to say for certain from the pics. The metal on the hands on the tritium model look so clean that they might be modern replacements. The case on the tritium model looks so clean with almost no discernible wear. Is it a new case, hardly worn case or polished? By "watchco style" did someone take an old dial and stick it in a new service parts build?

Yes, I believe the tritium dial has been retouched with faux vintage lume, quite sympathetically I'd say. Not a deal breaker for me anyway.

All the "white" printing (minute hashes, numbers, script, logs) is various shades of off-white as the dial seem to have some uneven discolouration of the lacquer. Again, I don't mind that.

Case is a new service replacement (166 0324 iirc) as, I think, are the hands (relumed to match the dial).

Edited: Nov 23, 2022

 

[Revo]

Ian_km

I have to say both look good, but for different reasons, so a tough choice. I’m afraid that looks where the prices are right now, just annoyed that Omega haven’t done a modern rendition of it.

Tempted to ask about the one you decline, but assume there will be a few enquiries!

This chap thinks they might:

 

[JwRosenthal]

One thing he didn’t mention was the watchco history- Omega already has the case parts- they just need to fit a modern movement to it.

 

[Ian_km]

Revo

This chap thinks they might:

Brilliant if it happens, but in the meantime there is a big gap which the Watchco still fills and prices reflect this. Other brands are close, but something about that original/remake..

 

[Revo]

@bigtriangle68 here's an attempt at some macro pics of the dial -- grimy, gilt or both?

(Apologies for the picture quality)

 

[JwRosenthal]

Revo

@bigtriangle68 here's an attempt at some macro pics of the dial -- grimy, gilt or both?

(Apologies for the picture quality)

That dial would be a hard pass for me- looks like it was “aged”

 

[Revo]

JwRosenthal

That dial would be a hard pass for me- looks like it was “aged”

I think the opposite: it looks like a tired old dial that's been sympathetically relumed. Not 100% original but no intent to deceive. I'm new to this model but I've been around vintage watches long enough to spot artificially "distressed" dials. But I'm open to being wrong. It does say "T" at the bottom so I believe it's genuinely old rather than faux patina.

 

[JwRosenthal]

Revo

I think the opposite: it looks like a tired old dial that's been sympathetically relumed. Not 100% original but no intent to deceive. I'm new to this model but I've been around vintage watches long enough to spot artificially "distressed" dials. But I'm open to being wrong. It does say "T" at the bottom so I believe it's genuinely old rather than faux patina.

I agree about it being an old dial- and if it were in a case with bezel that went well with the dial I don’t think we would really be having this conversation. Further, if you were so smitten with it over the Watchco, it would be yours already, so I sense you are really on the fence about it.
As I’ve said before, I would go for the watchco or save your pennies for a vintage 300, this combo just feels like a cobble to me.

 

[bigtriangle68]

Looks like water leaked in through the original Niad crown and someone baked that dial in an oven at 450 degrees to get the water out generating hideous paint bubbles on the dial. Take a look at that movement for water damage. The patination looks so even between the hour indices and hands that it's almost like someone touched it up with a paintbrush and coffee / tea. I'd go for clean the all-Superluminova Watchco model instead of this schizophrenic 300 that tries to hard to be vintage chic.

 

[Revo]

bigtriangle68

Looks like water leaked in through the original Niad crown and someone baked that dial in an oven at 450 degrees to get the water out generating hideous paint bubbles on the dial. Take a look at that movement for water damage. The patination looks so even between the hour indices and hands that it's almost like someone touched it up with a paintbrush and coffee / tea. I'd go for clean the all-Superluminova Watchco model instead of this schizophrenic 300 that tries to hard to be vintage chic.

Thanks @bigtriangle68 that's a helpful. Movement is good (actually better than the all-Superluminova one, which is running fine and keeping good time but is a little dry and dirty and in need of a service. I digress.)

I do hear what you say but -- and here I am going to sound a bit daft -- I really like this dial, knackered though it is. The faintly green SL dial ("minty" in both senses of the word) leaves me cold, whereas this is warmer: less sterile, more organic.

Thanks again to you and others for your input here. Much appreciated.

 

[JwRosenthal]

Revo

Thanks @bigtriangle68 that's a helpful. Movement is good (actually better than the all-Superluminova one, which is running fine and keeping good time but is a little dry and dirty and in need of a service. I digress.)

I do hear what you say but -- and here I am going to sound a bit daft -- I really like this dial, knackered though it is. The faintly green SL dial ("minty" in both senses of the word) leaves me cold, whereas this is warmer: less sterile, more organic.

Thanks again to you and others for your input here. Much appreciated.

It depends on the lighting- not so green in the flesh.